Sangeeta Kaul’s Post

New study on #internships out in the Journal Higher Education (and 50 free e-prints) where we used a #mixedmethods approach to identify what constitutes an "effective" or "high-quality" internship, as measured by #student satisfaction and learning. We use sociocultural learning theory to interpret data from online surveys (n = 435) and focus groups (n = 52) with students at 5 institutions in the US. Key findings: Stepwise linear regression analyses of demographic and programmatic variables associated with intern satisfaction, developmental value, and career adaptability indicated that first-generation status, sex, race and income level, and supervisor behaviors were significantly associated with satisfaction and development. Analyses of qualitative data revealed that features of positive (clear communication, availability, feedback) and negative (unavailability, inattention to learning) supervision impacted student experiences. These findings reveal that internships should be designed with careful attention to task scaffolding, student autonomy and supervisor assistance, depending on the professional context and situation. These results highlight the need for colleges and employers to design internships as mentored and culturally shaped learning spaces, provide supervisor training, and consider the cultural backgrounds of students when matching them to internships.

Thinking about applying for a Student Sandwich Placement? There is support available to help you with the application process.     The application guidance document on the application site has detailed information about every step of the process.     We are also holding a Q&A session for students on Wednesday 9 October, 12:30 - 13:30. Our team will be on hand to explain the process and former sandwich students will be able to answer any questions you may have about the scheme.     Read the guidance and find out how to join the Q&A: https://lnkd.in/eybG6MRQ #careers #internship #placement #sandwichplacement #university #research #socialresearch #socialscience #diversity #inclusion #valuingdiversity

🚨 LATEST RESEARCH PUBLICATION🚨 #youthworkforce #workforcedevelopment #SYEP #youthemployment - Please cite and share! The best part about working on this paper was collaborating with Scott McLeod, a leading US expert on the conditions young people need to thrive and the leadership to make it happen. Full description below: https://shorturl.at/rvJ9H In 'From Punks to Superstars', we discuss how educators and workforce programmers can adopt shared frameworks of "social and cultural capital," to have common language for describing their goals for students. Often, programmatic goals (in schools and internships) center around students gaining vague notions of "real world skills." We know non-academic abilities are important, but don't go in-depth on what they actually are. In our article we go there, but also go further. These terms themselves are inherently exclusionary, implying some people have these forms of capital and some don't. We must, in our adoption of these terms, CRITIQUE them too. In this article, we show how. Because, to truly recognize and reward the diverse forms of assets students already possess, they cannot simply be *assimilated*. Underrepresented students can and must become active members, contributing their gifts towards a continual process of transforming our institutions to be more inclusive. Slightly more academic description from the article itself, but my favorite paragraph: "Existing #scholarship that seeks to position #students as asset-based does not go far enough in articulating why this endeavor is important and how those assets may actually spur transformative progress. This is exactly our contribution through the specific case of internship/workforce research: the stated, implicit, and culturally conditioned viewpoint is that these are inherently good opportunities and resources for #youth, but if not further interrogated, they can lead to an assimilating approach, believing that once students get placed into #internships the rest will work itself out. This does nothing to reduce social reproduction and the cyclical nature of #poverty. Within our well-intentioned aims, we may not realize how we ourselves perpetuate systems, narratives, and/or ideologies that maintain the existing social order or class- and race-based #inequality. To truly be asset-based, perspectives must aim to examine how #underrepresented young people not only deserve to be included within our rigid and unbending institutions but also valued so they can transform these spaces to be more inclusive for others through their unique contributions."

“Internships have long been a coveted component of the college experience, but now the pressure to secure them — and to secure them earlier — is growing, as students and their parents look for ways to stand out on job applications, universities work to demonstrate a high return on investment and employers increasingly rely on internships as part of their strategies to recruit and vet candidates. But traditional internships are not universally accessible.” Post-traditional students — those who don’t fit neatly into the 18- to 22-year-old demographic — as well as students who lack connections, such as first-generation students, can find it especially difficult to secure internships. We couldn’t agree more with Francesca Anselmi, executive director of the Office for Experiential Learning at City College, who pointed out the need for more flexible internship options because many students have full-time jobs that they can’t quit for a short-term — and often unpaid — opportunity. In fact, in our recent white paper (https://lnkd.in/dG7QXJB6), we explored ways to redesign the internship model, for example through a learn-and-earn model. Read more about the efforts some colleges and companies are making to expand access to internships via The Washington Post: https://lnkd.in/eDbUNh2P #internship #highereducation #dei

From: A distressed student To: Anyone who's reading I am a third-year student, pursuing Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. This semester onwards we have to complete a thirty-hour internship as a part of our curriculum. Naturally, we were thrilled and excited to look for internships, Observership, and volunteering opportunities, because why not? We'd finally get to see how psychology works in reality. But all the enthusiasm soon fizzled out, as we learned that most of the internships were "Paid", meaning we pay the organizations. I have been scammed by a so-called famous organization who had promised an internship but in return just taught us what we were taught in 11th/12th and then, of course, I got ghosted and lost a sum of money :) Now, we genuinely understand that we are very young to be let out in the real field but even otherwise, at least allow us to observe without costing us a fortune! I mean what are we paying for? We students are ready to work, we are prepared to do the hard work, so take advantage and get the work done from us but why are you charging us thousands of rupees?? Since this field is still developing in our country, shouldn't we have more opportunities to learn? Shouldn't we get access to hospitals, clinics, and organizations that are willing to hire students to give them practical knowledge as well as some experience? But anyway, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude towards the organizations who have unpaid observerships and volunteering opportunities, that have some real work instead of just reading through slides. It is you people who keep us motivated and make us feel seen and heard. <3 Signing off, a fellow Psychology student.

Another thought for #Childlifeinternship coordinators in the week before #OFFERWEEK: As a faculty member at #BankStreetCollegeofEducation, I assist students in preparing for fieldwork and internships. In the past, I have advised them that hospital Child Life teams look for a "good fit" when evaluating potential candidates. However, in light of the growing awareness of racial and ethnic diversity disparities within our field and the unique needs of neurodivergent learners, I am questioning whether this approach is still appropriate. In our polarized world, barriers are broken down when we open ourselves to different points of view, backgrounds, language styles, and temperaments. Maybe the next best intern isn't the one who fits in, but the one who challenges your team to grow and engage in courageous conversations. Please consider this while making your final decisions about what is good for your team.

Elevating this research from the Strada Education Foundation, looking at data from the National Survey of College Internships from Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT) at UW-Madison. The report highlights issues in access (there are too few great internships, and more obstacles to getting and maintaining them for economically disadvantaged students like our Scholars) and underscores the benefits of internships for long-term career outcomes (students gain exposure to careers and relevant experience they can use to distinguish themselves on the job market). If you can provide internships, do it! If you can make your internships better, do it! If you can support students to better access internships, do it!

💡 Empower Your Research & Nurture Future Leaders with the Fully-Funded Reimagine Research Internships Initiative 💡 The Reimagine Research Initiative tackles a critical challenge within academic research: accessibility. Research experiences are often seen as the gateway to successful careers in academia, yet accessibility to such opportunities remains a significant hurdle. For many promising undergraduates, especially those from under-represented groups, financial constraints make unpaid internships an impossibility, effectively closing the door to exploring research interests and developing crucial skills. This programme stands as a beacon of inclusivity, offering fully funded summer research internships specifically designed to empower those students from diverse backgrounds.     Benefits for you: 📌 Valuable assistance: Gain fresh ideas and support for your research projects. 📌Diverse talent pool: Discover promising students and enrich your research with varied perspectives. 📌Fulfil ethical objectives: Contribute to a more inclusive research community at Durham. Internships are: 👉 Fully funded 👉 6 weeks over summer (35-hour work week) 👉 Open to all faculties and departments. 👉 Can have flexible working arrangements (virtual, in-person, or hybrid) Applications open now! Deadline: 17th March View our programme flyer for key facts: https://lnkd.in/e9Yikwhh Read the full programme guide here: https://lnkd.in/e77xxsnn Interested in applying complete this application form : https://lnkd.in/eXsn-Qvy #DurhamUniversity #ResearchInternship #Mentorship #DiversityInResearch #inclusionanddiversity

New data on #internships from the 2023 National Survey of College Internships were released yesterday by our partners at Strada Education Foundation! The report is available here: https://lnkd.in/gdscnQv2 The NSCI survey unpacks the too-often oversimplified experience of an "internship" into more nuanced elements of structure, quality, and access, and was developed at the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT) at UW-Madison. Some key findings: * 41% of seniors and 22% of juniors at 4-year institutions, and 13% of students at 2-year institutions had participated in an internship in the past 12 months. Participation rates vary considerably by major and student demographics (esp gender & race/ethnicity) * Most students who did not participate in an internship (6 of 10 non-interns at 4-year institutions) reported that they wanted to, but could not for a range of reasons such as heavy courseloads, lack of opportunities, not selected for desired internship, or needed to work * 27% of four-year student interns report that they mostly engaged in autonomous work w/little supervision, 38% in high skill tasks w/supervision, 25% in low skill tasks, and 10% in mere job shadowing. Overall, these data continue to tell a story of internships & work-based learning that are - contrary to the ongoing, uncritical advocacy of these experiences - in short supply, are unequally accessible, and highly variable with respect to the quality of mentoring and student learning. That said, they can be transformative learning experiences for students - we just need to incorporate principles of experiential learning embodied by the ideal internship across the college curriculum so that ALL students can learn in a hands-on, skills-heavy manner. For a short Q&A on the data The Conversation US see below:

INTERESTING READ: Internships can play a vital role for students looking to break into a career, but they aren’t always available for all the students who want them. And even when they are, they may not be high quality. Read more about some of the difficulties that students face in securing quality internships.